Atonement
by Soleil Solitaire
Summary: I’m sorry it didn’t work, and I’m sorry it never will because of what I did." Tragic GeorgexOC set after George gets married to Angelina. A reunion with a former flame.


{| GEORGExOC: George Weasley isn't mine. :P Grey is. |}

* * *

"This is just like old times," Grey said, clearly nostalgic as she watched the sun set.

The redhead sitting beside her simply laughed, but sounded more remorseful than glad.

"Yeah," he replied, "same spot by the same tree, at same time, with the same sunset."

They both laughed, remembering everything, before falling into another awkward silence.

It was strange how every memory was clear as day, like it was just yesterday when it has already been years. They'd sit together by that same oak tree at exactly quarter to six, a few minutes before sunset. Then they'd just talk while watching the sun sink before getting back to their busy lives. Doing it again, it was like those days never ended. Unfortunately, they did.

But, there are some things that never change.

"Hey, George?" the raven-haired girl said all of a sudden, turning to look at the redhead.

"Hm?" he asked, looking at her as well. No, actually he started staring at her blue eyes again.

"Why did you still agree to speak to me after what I did to you?" she asked hesitantly.

He smiled, already knowing she'd ask this.

"Well, no use dwelling on what happened in the past, right?" he said jokingly.

Grey's smile faltered and she looked away. How was she going to properly apologize to him if he didn't seem to want to talk about the mistakes that were made in the past?

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She sighed.

"I can't forgive myself for what I did," she said, feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

"You're going to have to, Bee," he told her, using the nickname he gave her in their Hogwarts days. "I already forgive you. You can't fuss over it forever."

"I know," she said, "but it's a lot harder than it looks."

There was another choking silence as George didn't know what to say.

"You never told me why you left," he mumbled, his own curiosity kicking in.

"I was being selfish, that's all you need to know," she said.

"Come on, Bee, indulge a former flame," he taunted, punching her arm lightly.

"Why do you take this so _lightly_, George?" she asked, sounding exasperated.

"You're too high-strung," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Just tell me already."

Grey opened her mouth to argue, but quickly shut it. It's no use trying to avoid the topic. She thought of how to properly word it as George stared at her expectantly.

"After Fred passed," she started slowly and carefully, "you were a wreck. You wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep, wouldn't stop wallowing, wouldn't go to work, wouldn't help with the chores, wouldn't do anything. It went on for months, George. I was tolerant for the first five months because I thought that was still normal and expected, but you went way beyond that, and that's when it started feeling like overkill. You were a constant downer. It was unbearable. Don't even get me started on your daily alcohol intake."

She paused, now aware that she had been rambling uncontrollably.

"So you left," George finished for her. Now he felt ashamed as he realized how bad it really was.

"Yes," she said, after a long pause. She felt ashamed as well. "You just wouldn't move on."

A lone tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away, hoping he wouldn't see.

"Or maybe I was pushing you too hard," she said, more to herself than to him.

"No," he said, shaking his head, " you just wanted me to be happy."

"If I wanted you to be happy, then I wouldn't have left and made things worse," she replied, resting her chin on her knees. "But maybe I did make you happy without knowing it. I mean, if I didn't leave, you wouldn't have found Angelina."

She felt the jealousy boil in her heart and tried to ignore it. She looked away to hide her scowl.

"She was just as lonely as I was," George said, smiling. "We were the perfect match."

_Or so it seemed_, he added in his mind. He quickly shook the thought off.

"Maybe that was just what you needed," Grey said. "Someone who understood."

"I guess," he said. Now it was his turn to sigh.

"Allow me to by frank, Grey, if I could take it all back, I would do it without a question."

Grey's eyebrows creased and she looked at him again. A faint spark of hope ignited in her heart. A spark she had to kill. She didn't want to, but what could she do? He's _married_ now.

"It's too late for any of that talk now, George," she said, her voice sounding grim.

There was a long pause before George replied. "I know," he said.

"It's getting late," Grey said, checking her watch. "I should get going soon."

"Already?" he asked, watching her as she stood up and straightened her skirt.

"Yes," she said, extending her hand to him and helping him up.

"You don't have to leave," he said under his breath while standing up.

"You know that I do," she said, giggling as she rolled her eyes.

Grey tried to pull her hand away, but noticed George was grasping it hard. She looked up at him and was met by his piercing stare. She felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"If you could take it all back, would you do it?" he asked her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when his lips crashed into hers. She felt her knees turn into jelly and was about to kiss back, until reality hit her like an anvil. She was kissing a _married _man. Her eyes widened and she pushed him away hard.

"That was beyond wrong," she blurted out, feeling ashamed of herself.

"Actually that felt pretty good," George said, laughing. She glared at him.

"What are you saying?! You're married for Christ's sake!" she screamed.

"But my feelings for you have never changed," he said, his demeanor still calm. "Never."

"It's too late for that and you know it, George," she said, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.

"It's never too late while we're still alive--"

"No, don't be unreasonable, this is wrong. This is all wrong. All I do is constantly bring pain to your life. I'm sorry, but I strongly believe it's true. You were perfectly fine before I came today, and you know it. I saw the happiness in your eyes," she argued.

George didn't know what to say anymore. Maybe he had been perfectly fine before she returned. Happy, even. But there's no denying he still loved her more than any woman. Unfortunately, there's also no denying that leaving Angelina would be wrong on so many levels.

"I really shouldn't have come today," Grey said. "I just wanted to personally tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry it didn't work, and I'm sorry it never will because of what I did."

She walked closer to him and squeezed his hand, managing a weak smile.

"And I'm just happy that you're happy again, even if I'm not the reason for it," she continued. He still didn't say anything and just stared at her. Grey sighed.

"I still love you if that's what you want to hear," she said finally. "And I would most definitely take it all back if it wasn't the wrong, selfish, and irresponsible thing to do."

George finally nodded, realizing that she was more than right. She smiled.

"Goodbye, George," she said. And with that, she snapped her fingers and vanished.

"Goodbye, my love," George said, even though she was already long gone.


End file.
